forddieseldoctor Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 For the last 2 years or so my dealership has been supplying us with a black barrel of universal trans fluid. Supposed to be good for just about everything that takes "red" trans fluid except for type F and a few of the other foreign cars. I got in a pissing match with the parts manager the first day that this barrel of mystery oil showed up and told him he was on crack and that we were gonna have transmissions dying left and right. His excuse was that one of his wholesale accounts has been using it for the last 5 years and hasn't had any problems. For the first few months I refused to use it until he wouldn't give me any quarts of LV one day. Since then it's been dumped into many transmissions including a bunch of warranty jobs. So far we haven't had any problems that can be linked to fluid, but it still bothers me when I pour it into customers transmissions wondering if this is gonna be the one that has the weird issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buddy_M Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 I'll agree, the dealer here quit carrying SP, told me it's not even available since it's been replaced with LV. However the motorcraft oil distributor they buy from happens to be the same place I buy from now that I'm out of the dealer, and I have no issues getting either SP or LV from them and told me when I asked that they haven't heard anything about one being discontinued when I spoke to them last winter. I still keep multiple types on my shelf at least for the trucks that specify it. I prefer to refill with something that carries the spec of what should be in it, not a universal type. I do kind of wonder what the differences are and what can happen however, as a friend dumped 4 quarts of Type F into his 2001 Focus after he blew a cooler line this spring. I noticed the empty bottles after he had it fixed and had me come check it out. I suggested dumping the pan and flushing since he had ran it by then but he didn't want to, figured he'd take the risk, time will tell if that's a good choice or not for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 I run hygard tractor oil in pretty near all of my own shit. I wonder what the customers are getting billed for? I use hygard in my Transbrake TH400 and it takes the extreme heat and abuse well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbriggs Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 We have a synthetic multi vehicle atf that is good for everything except LV, Type F and some Asian stuff. We have had great luck with it in place of atf +4, dex 6, and all ford vehicles that don't require lv. When LV first came out it was 3 times the price of SP. I priced compared them a month or so ago and SP was a bit over twice the price of LV. The price of LV is actually fairly inline with other by the bottle atf in the parts store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forddieseldoctor Posted August 2, 2014 Author Share Posted August 2, 2014 Hmm maybe I should check ours out and make sure that it's okay for LV transmissions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted August 2, 2014 Share Posted August 2, 2014 The term "universal" with relation to fluids of any kind of scares me particularly those that do come with listed "exceptions." When it comes to engine or transmissions that cost many thousands of dollars the liability factor really bothers me... not to mention the dealerships reputation and mine to be frank. To each his own. If Ford Motor Company tells me I can use X-fluid in place of X, Y and Z fluids the so be it. I recall Mercon 5 being deemed backward compatible with all previous fluids but not to replace Mercon SP/LV. At leas then if there was a fluid related failure you have some backing. Taking it upon yourselves to approve any non-approved fluid is chancy IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigWalt Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Does anybody know the actual measurement / ingredients differences between SP and LV or others?Example.....2 cycle fuel mix.differences between 40:1 and 50:1 ratio is less than teaspoon.My chain saw requires 50:1, my old weed trimmer requires 40:1. Instead of having two fuel cans for each specific fuel / oil mix, I use one fuel can of 50:1 mix. My weed trimmer still working like new and does not smokes.That being said I did add Mercon 5 fluid to torq shift trans when the trans cooler lines blew out from rust, this got me stranded in middle of no where.To this day I have not change the fluid yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 I've put hygard in a torqshift and not had issues with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batmantech Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 Funny take a look at PTS letter dated august 1 all about trans fluids. Maybe someone better at this could post it here I had no luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chase Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 I've put hygard in a torqshift and not had issues with it. Hy-gard is John Deere's trans/hydraulic fluid correct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 Yep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Clayton Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 Funny take a look at PTS letter dated august 1 all about trans fluids. Maybe someone better at this could post it here I had no luck. Automatic_Transmission_Fluid_Sales_Brochure.pdf 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy57 Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 I've put hygard in a torqshift and not had issues with it. You know that long term use of John Deere Hygard will result in the parts prices of your Ford trucks increasing. It sure happened to all the John Deere stuff I work on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 ^^^ hahahaha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chase Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 I've put hygard in a torqshift and not had issues with it. How many miles you got on that unit now? Thinking about trying it in my 4R100, it's got 300,000 mi on it i'm gonna pull it apart come summer anyways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredsvt Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 I put Redline High Temp ATF in my Lightning's 4R100, much more positive, fast shifts, even with the torque reduction at or over 1/2 throttle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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